Finding calmness with yoga

Yoga helps one to find quietness, as well as an easy way control the mind and breathing.

PHOTO: Chrissie Tan

PETALING JAYA - Life is a movement and in the midst of all the chaos that comes with it, one has to keep the stillness inside.

So said author and public speaker Deepak Chopra.

Finding quietness within is something many struggle to find but yoga is among the discipline that offers an easy way to control the mind and breathing.

Besides the physical benefits of the exercises, yoga also helps calm the mind and has an anti-ageing effect on practitioners.

"Fitness is often equated to the ability to exercise and often it is about running, swimming, cycling, et cetera, but freeing the spine and having a mobile pelvis are also important for general health.

"If breathing is an important context in fitness, then pelvic and spinal mobility, as well as a deep connection to these areas of the body is essential," said yoga instructor Manoj Kaimal.

Manoj will be conducting a class on freeing the spine and breathing at the FitForLife KL next weekend.

Muscles such as the psoas, adductors and hamstrings have a strong effect on breathing, and conventional fitness regimens might overwork these muscles, resulting in overly tight pelvic and abdominal muscles.

"In yoga, students learn how to free the pelvis from tightness along the legs as this protects the natural curvature of the spine, which is critical to the yogi's concept of phy­sical and mental wellness," Manoj, a former a columnist with The Star, and the author of two books, added.

His class will focus on movements and breathing explorations, with suggestions of simple practices that fair-goers can do at home.

The one-hour yoga class will take place on April 30 at 2.30pm at the carpeted stage area but participants are encouraged to bring their own mats.

Organised by The Star with Great Eastern Life as the event partner and Guardian as healthcare provider, the fifth annual health fair will be held at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre from April 29 to May 1.

Themed "Get Fit. Live Great!", the fair will also head to Johor Baru, Malacca and Penang.

Exhibition hours are from 11am to 7pm. Admission is free.

Pre-register at www.greateasternlife.com/fitforlifekl2016 to collect your free goodie bag and be in the running to win two VVIP tickets worth RM688 (S$238) to Jay Chou's upcoming concert in KL on Aug 6, and three Star Wars: The Blueprints (limited edition hardcover) worth RM3,400 each.